The present invention relates to a support for a take-up element and to a unit for the packaging and application of a product. More precisely, it relates to a unit comprising a container optionally provided with a lid and an element for taking up the product.
This unit may be used in many fields, in particular, in the fields of cosmetics, dermatology, and pharmaceutics, and for the packaging of creams, gels, powders, or even of granulated materials. It can also be used in the field of varnishes, paints, glues and adhesives.
It is known that the packaging units for products are provided with a take-up element intended to take up and possibly to apply the product to a surface to be treated. This element is generally made of an inexpensive material, like plastics or wood, and is disposable. For practical reasons of hygiene and of convenience, many packaging units are provided with one such a take-up element in the package. Generally, this take-up element is not joined to the container or even the lid, and is for example provided in a separate sealed plastic sachet, ensuring that it is clean.
Such arrangements have several drawbacks: indeed, during the manufacture of the packaging unit, the pliability of this protective sachet makes it impossible for it to be positioned on the container or on its lid in an automated process. These protective sachets containing the take-up element are therefore introduced manually into a box containing the closed container filled with the product. Such an operation increases the time and the cost of producing these units, which nevertheless have to be produced in very large quantities. Moreover, this work is tedious for the packaging operators.
Furthermore, once opened during the first use of the take-up element, the sachet cannot be used again and the take-up element is no longer protected from the exterior (dust, sprays etc.) during the period of its use, it being possible for the use to extend over several weeks for a cosmetic product or a food product (such as mustard).
It is also known that the take-up element is placed within the lid of the container of the packaging unit and that it is protected by a tearable cover, as described in FR-A-1280021. However here too, the take-up element is no longer protected after its first use.
From EP-A-0517963 it is, moreover, also known that the take-up element is placed on a tearable cover surmounting a container, and that the cover and the take-up element are covered by a lid closing the container. But this arrangement has the same drawbacks as those described above.
There thus remains the need for a unit for the packaging and application of a product, comprising an element for taking up this product, which can be easily made on an industrial scale and be obtained in particular in a completely automated manner and which ensures the protection of this take-up element over the whole duration of its period of use.
The present invention aims to satisfy this requirement.